Apparatus for the manufacture of splice-bars.



PATENTED JAN! 1 5', 1907'.

e. E. THA0KRAY. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SPLICE BARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19 1905.

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WITNESSES,

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No. 841,854. 'PATENTED'JAN. 15, 1907. G. E. THAGKRAY. APPARATUSPOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SPLICE BARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. THACK-RAY, OF WESTMONT, PENNSYLVANIA.

' APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SPLICE-BARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed July 19, 1905. Serial No. 270,402.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. THAOK- RAY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of l/Vestmont, county of Cambria, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Splice- Bars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the manufacture of splice-bars for securing the ends of railroad-rails and the like. "he splice-bars referred to comprise a longitudinal splice member adapted to extend beside the webs of the rails to be joined and to be secured thereto, and, in addition, each splice-bar comprises a reinforcing projection, which is adapted to stiffen and strengthen the joint.

An object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus whereby splice-bars of the character described may be easily and cheaply produced. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the entire apparatus for forming a splice-bar. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan-view of the lower portion of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line IV IV of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of an auxiliary apparatus for trimming a partially-formed splicebar. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lower portion of the auxiliary apparatus. Fig. 7 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a stock-bar, indicating the manner in which the splicebars may be cut therefrom. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of a stoclsbar, taken on the line IX IX of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing another way of cutting splice-bars from the stock-bar. Fig. 11 is a transverse section of a modified form of stock-bar; and Fig. 12 is a central transverse section of two splice-bars, showing the manner of their application to a rail.

Referring to Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, it will be seen that each splice-bar comprises a splice member 7 and a reinforcing projection 22. These figures also show that the stock-bar is angular in transverse sectionthat is, the longitudinal elements of the bar do not all he in the same plane, but the bar is bent or curved transversely. It will further be observed that the bar is symmetrical in section about a longitudinal center line, and ,it will also be observed that each spliceloar is symmetrical about a transverse center The splice-bar per 86 forms no part of the invention, having been claimed in a. prior application, and it is therefore unneces-.

sary to go into further detail concerning it than is necessary to a proper understanding of the apparatus by which it is produced and which constitute the invention intended to be covered by this application. It is thought that this purpose will be subserved by reference to Figs. 8 and 12. The former figure shows the relation of the reinforcing projection to the splice member of the splicebar, while the latter shows the cross-section of the splice-bar and also its manner of application to a rail. It is believed that the splioe-bar will now be sufficiently understood for the purpose of this application without further explanation.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the apparatus comprises a support 11 and a head 10, which are relatively movable. In the present instance the support 11 is supposed to be stationary, while the head 10 is movable; but, as will readily be seen from the following description, either or both the head and the support may be movable. Secured to the head by any suitable means is a plate 9, carrying lugs 23, 24, and 25, to which are secured the transverse. cutters 3 for severing the ends of the splice members, the transverse cutters 1 for cutting the edges of the reinforcing projection, and the longitudinal cutters 2, adapted to sever the stock-bar longitudinally, so that the cuts formed by the 5 cutters l and 3 will be joined. Preferably the cutters are curved at the junction of the longitudinal cutters 2 and the transverse cutters 1, so that a sharp angle will be avoided. The cutters 3, 2, and 1 are secured to the external surfaces of the lugs and inclose a T-shaped section. The lugs referred to extend along the back of the cutters to their cutting edges, and thereby reinforce the same. Preferably the cutting edges of the cutters conform to the shape of the stock-bar where they engage therewith. To the support 11 are secured lugs 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31, to the interior sides of which are secured the cutters 4, 5, and 6, as shown. It

all

: however, the bar is angular, and the transverse cutters 4 and 6 have their supporting edges angular to conform thereto. In order that the cutters 4, 5, and 6 may be reinforced, the lugs 26 to 31 on their outer surfaces are made to conform to the supporting-faces of the cutters and extend to the edges thereof.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 1, the cutiters 1, 2, and 3 are adapted to pass within the cutters 4, 5, and 6 and in so doing sever a T-shaped bar from the stock-bar, which falls permit the free fall of the severed bar. position of the stock-bar with relation to the apparatus just previous to the cutting opers within the recess inclosed by the cutters 4, 5, and 6, the last-mentioned cutters receding at their bases to give a proper clearance and The ation is shown most clearly in Fig. 2.

Of the splice-bars formed by the preceding apparatus some may require to be trimmed of a surplus of metal. To accomplish this result, an auxiliary portion of the apparatus is provided, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7.

This apparatus comprises a head 15, having a wedge-shaped groove 32, adapted to receive a wedge-shaped projection 33 of a cutter-carrying lug 14, to which lug are secured the cutters 13. The lugs 14 may be secured position by means of a key 34, engaging with both the lug and the head 15, and also by clamps 35, engaging at one end in a groove 36 of the lugs 14 and at the other end with a groove 37 in the head 15. The whole is then locked by means of bolts 38 passingthrough the clamps 35, lugs 14, and the head 15, as shown.

For supporting the work in relation to the cutters 13 a support 17 may be provided, which on its upper face is constructed to conform to the surface of the splice member with which it contacts, so as to properly support the same at all points, and is also provided with shear-plates 16, which are secured to the support in any suitable manner and across the face of which the cutters 13 are adapted to pass.

Any suitable means, as a bar 20, having a groove 40 adapted to receive an edge of the splice member and which is secured to the support 17, may be provided to fit properly, holding the splice-bar in position to be trimmed.

The operation of the foregoing-described apparatus may now be set forth.

The apparatus being positioned as shown in Fig. 1 and the cutters being so placed that the longitudinal cuts will be made at the central section of the stock-bar, if stock-bar 8 be placed in position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the head 10 is caused to descend, a splicebar, which is shown in plan in Fig. 8, will be cut from the bar and fall within the recess formed by the supporting-cutters 4, 5, and 6. The crop end 21 of the bar will also be severed. The head 10 may then be raised and the stock-bar slid longitudinally through the apparatus for adistance equal to the length of a splice-bar plus the width of a reinforcing projection. The edge from which the reinforcing projection of the preceding splice-bar has been out will then be a distance outside the transverse cutters for the reinforcing member which is equal to the length of the splice member. The head 10 is then caused to descend, when a second splice-bar is out, as before described; but in this succeeding out not only is a splice-bar formed, as stated, but another splice-bar is cut from the crop end of the stock-bar and falls outside the cutwould extend below the lower face of the rail I and might interfere with the proper seating of the same. In order to remove the superfluous portions 19, a splice-bar 18 is placed in the apparatus, (shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the position of the splice-bar being most clearly indicated in Fig. 7 and the operation of placing the bar within the apparatus being of course performed when the cutters 13 are raised.) The cutters 13 are now caused to descend and in so doing shear the portions 19 from the splice-bar, thereby rendering it complete.

Thus far the longitudinal cuts by which the splice-bars are severed from the stockbar have been considered as made at the central section of the stock-bar. This, however, involves the trimming of all the splice-bars, as has been seen. The labor of trimming can be reduced half by placing the longitudinal cutters so that the longitudinal cuts will be made at one side of the center and at a distance from one edge of the stock-bar equal to the width of the splice member of a splicebar, as shown in Fig. 10. Alternate splicebars will then be cut complete from the stockbarthat is, they will not need trimming, as

before described. All the surplus material will adhere to the remaining splice-bars and may be trimmed therefrom in a manner as has already been set forth. In order to still further reduce the labor and to avoid waste of material in forming the splice-bars, they may be cut from a stock-bar having a crosssection as shown in Fig. 11, the longitudinal cuts occurring on the center line. All the splice-bars are cut complete from this form of stock-bar and require no trimming.

While I have illustrated my invention in What I consider its best embodiment, yet it is to be understood that it may be embodied in other constructions and should not, there fore, be limited to the precise apparatus shown Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. In an apparatus for forming splice-bars of angular cross-section With lateral reinforcing projections, a movable head having transverse cutters for severing the edges of the reinforcing projections, longitudinal cutters for severing the edges of the splice member, and other transverse cutters for severing the ends of the splice member, combined With a support having an angular surface conforming to the angular section ofthe bar.

2. In an apparatus for forming splice-bars of angular cross-section With lateral reinforcing projections, amovable head having transverse cutters for severing the edges of the reinforcing projections, longitudinal cutters for severing the edges of the splice member, and other transverse cutters for severing the ends of the splice member, combined With a support for holding the stock-bar in proper relation to the cutters, the cutters having angular edges conforming to the section of the stock-bar.

3. In an apparatus for forming splice-bars of angular cross-section With lateral reinforcing projections, amovable head having transverse cutters for severing the edges of the reinforcing projections, longitudinal cutters for severing the edges of the splice member, and other transverse cutters for severing the ends of the splice member, combined With a support for holding the stock-bar in proper relation to the cutters, said cutters being secured to lugs on the head that extend along the back of the cutters to near their edges to reinforce said cutters.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

GEORGE E. THAOKRAY.

Witnesses ELMER SEAVEY, STONE EDELEN. 

